By Daniel Edwards

0

Nov 22, 2010 2:36:00 PM

Young Blackburn Rovers forward Julio Santa Cruz could return to Paraguay at the start of 2011, according to his father.

Julio, younger brother of Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz, has been at Blackburn since the age of 17 and appears regularly for the reserve side. The youngster has yet to receive a professional contract at the English club, however, and his father Aproniano revealed on Monday that he may be forced to look elsewhere.

"Our priority is to keep him in Europe. [Julio] has an amateur contract, he is always in the Blackburn reserves and his contract finishes in June, then we will see where he will be a professional, in January we will know," Santa Cruz told ABC Digital.

"We will see if Blackburn offer him a professional contract, he has been there since the age of 17 and we want him to stay in Europe, but we will not rule out anything. If there are opportunities here [in Paraguay] in a big club for example, that is an option, it would be great for him to play an international tournament."

One option would be Cerro Porteno, which was the forward's first club. Aproniano closed however by stating that any deal would be contingent on the Asuncion outfit qualifying for the Copa Libertadores or Sudamericana.

"We are going to look hard at that option, first they have to qualify for an international cup, but whatever club wants him will have to talk to Blackburn first."